Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro vs Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II: Real-World Test

The Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro is entering territory long ruled by Sony’s 85mm lenses. For portraits, this focal length has always been a favorite because of how it isolates the subject, smooths the background, and keeps images flattering. Can you get similar performance without paying a similar price?

Coming to you from Julia Trotti, this detailed video looks at the Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro on a Sony a7 IV and compares it against the Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM II. One of the first differences Trotti shows is lens flare. The Viltrox produces heavy flare and hazing when backlit, giving a dreamy look, while the Sony GM II stays more contrasty and controlled. This means you get a different style depending on which you prefer. Focus is mostly reliable with the Viltrox, though in bright backlight, it occasionally misses. Trotti shows both unedited and edited files so you can see what’s really happening with sharpness and clarity.

Image quality is where the Viltrox impresses most. Straight out of camera, the images are sharp and neutral with a slight warmth. In side-by-side comparisons, it often matches the GM II in sharpness, with Sony pulling ahead only when strong backlight reduces contrast on the Viltrox. Bokeh from the Viltrox looks smooth thanks to its 11 rounded aperture blades, with pleasing transitions from in-focus to out-of-focus areas. Trotti points out some spherical aberration in certain shots, giving a faint halo around fine details. Chromatic aberration, often a weak spot for budget lenses, is surprisingly well controlled here, even in high-contrast backlit scenes.

Build quality is another strength. The Viltrox weighs 800 g, almost the same as Sony’s first-generation GM, and heavier than the current 642 g GM II. It’s a full metal design with weather sealing, focus and aperture rings, a custom button, and a USB port for firmware updates. Autofocus runs on two VCM motors, which rattle slightly when the lens is moved but perform strongly in practice. Trotti sets the a7 IV to continuous AF with human eye detection and reports a very high in-focus ratio, with only a handful of missed shots in challenging backlight. For video, she tests the Viltrox on both the Sony a7 IV and the faster Sony a9 III. Autofocus is smooth and sticky, but not as fast as Sony’s GM II. The GM II also shows more contrast and finer detail in video, though the differences are smaller if you’re shooting on a camera with slower AF systems. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Trotti.